Liver Disease

Compassionate care and personal treatment

If you or a loved one is living with liver disease, then you know how important it is to receive ongoing care from caring, compassionate staff members with years of expertise.

Our doctors help patients with a variety of liver diseases, including those caused by viruses, autoimmune disorders, cancer, and lifestyle choices.

Our goal is to closely manage your condition and give you safe, personal treatment that results in quicker healing.

You can also trust us to treat hepatitis, cirrhosis, cancer, and other conditions with a variety of options: medications, surgeries that remove tumors, endoscopy, imaging, and liver function tests.

• Medication including steroids, antiviral drugs and immunosuppressants, can be used to manage a variety of liver disorders including autoimmune hepatitis and Hepatitis B and C.
• Liver resection, also known as partial hepatectomy is a surgical procedure used to remove cancerous tumors from the liver.
• Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a medication doctors may prescribe to treat primary biliary cirrhosis.
• Regular blood removal is often an effective treatment for people with hemochromatosis (excess iron stored in the body). By giving blood, you can help reduce your iron levels. If you’re not eligible to give blood due to a medical condition like anemia, your doctor may be able to prescribe a medication that helps your body get rid of excess iron through your urine or stool. This is called chelation therapy.
• If you have liver cancer, your hepatologist will work closely with Lee Health cancer specialists to create a customized treatment plan. 

Types of liver diseases treated at Lee Health

Lee Health gastroenterologists have extensive experience diagnosing and managing a variety of medical conditions that affect the liver, including:

• Autoimmune hepatitis, a disorder that causes your immune system to attack your liver. This can lead to chronic inflammation, scarring and eventual liver failure.
• Cirrhosis is the formal name for scarring in the liver. This scarring is caused by long term liver damage, and results in reduced liver function.
• Cholestatic liver diseases occur when the liver cannot adequately produce or release a substance called bile, which helps break down fats. A healthy liver constantly produces bile, which is passed through bile ducts into the gallbladder (for storage) and the small intestine (where it breaks down and absorbs fats). There are two main types of cholestatic liver disease, described below – primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis.
• Primary biliary cirrhosis also known as PBC, is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation of the bile ducts within the liver. When these ducts are damaged, bile cannot flow properly and builds up in the liver, causing cirrhosis (scarring) and impaired liver function.
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis is similar to PBC, but it causes inflammation of bile ducts both within and outside of the liver. When these ducts are damaged, bile cannot flow properly and builds up in the liver, causing cirrhosis (scarring) and impaired liver function.
• Hemochromatosis, a condition where your body absorbs and retains too much iron. The excess iron causes damage to several organs, including the liver.
• Hepatitis B is a viral infection that causes short- or long-term inflammation of the liver. Most people with this condition were exposed to blood or bodily fluids from someone who was infected with the Hepatitis B virus. If your body cannot fight the virus on its own, and it’s left untreated, hepatitis can eventually lead to cirrhosis and liver failure.
• Hepatitis C is an infection caused by the Hepatitis C virus, and usually leads to long-term liver inflammation. Similar to Hepatitis B, it’s transmitted through contact with blood; however, most people with Hepatitis C are not aware they are infected until the liver is already damaged.
• Primary liver cancer is often called hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC for short. The two terms are used interchangeably because most people who have liver cancer have HCC. This type of cancer starts in the liver, as opposed to cancer that starts in another organ and then spreads to the liver. Learn more about liver cancer treatment at Lee Health.
• Liver failure or end stage liver disease, occurs when the liver loses most or all of its function. Depending on how much liver function is left, your doctor may be able to manage your symptoms with medication or strict dietary changes.

Diagnosing liver disease

If your doctor suspects you have a liver disorder, he or she will confirm their diagnosis using one or more of the following tests:

• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, or ERCP is an endoscopic procedure that allows doctors to examine the bile ducts. It can be useful in diagnosing bile duct cancer. 
• Imaging tests such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can confirm liver damage.
• Liver function tests are blood tests that can assess how well your liver is functioning by measuring levels of proteins, enzymes and other substances in your bloodstream.
• Liver biopsy, a procedure where your doctor removes a sample of tissue from your liver and examines it for signs of disease.

Liver disease treatment at Lee Health

For some people, living with chronic liver disease means a lifetime of managing symptoms. Our physicians work closely with each patient to ensure you receive the safest and most effective care available – for as long as you need it.

Liver disease treatment options at Lee Health include:

• Medication including steroids, antiviral drugs and immunosuppressants, can be used to manage a variety of liver disorders including autoimmune hepatitis and Hepatitis B and C.
• Liver resection, also known as partial hepatectomy is a surgical procedure used to remove cancerous tumors from the liver.
• Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a medication doctors may prescribe to treat primary biliary cirrhosis.
• Regular blood removal is often an effective treatment for people with hemochromatosis (excess iron stored in the body). By giving blood, you can help reduce your iron levels. If you’re not eligible to give blood due to a medical condition like anemia, your doctor may be able to prescribe a medication that helps your body get rid of excess iron through your urine or stool. This is called chelation therapy.
• If you have liver cancer, your hepatologist will work closely with Lee Health cancer specialists to create a customized treatment plan. 

To make an appointment with a Lee Health Gastroenterologist, call 239-343-6202.